Getting Ourselves Off the Hook Pt 3

The Right Firearms and the Right to Self Defense

Go to the Introduction

Go to Part 2 The Common Good and the Dignity of the Human Being

Part 3 - The Militia. An Antiquated Term?

For the average American, it’s generally inconceivable to consider ourselves vulnerable to foreign invasion or attack. We think our military can never be defeated.

Think again. Historically speaking, no nation has ever been able to make that claim ex post facto. Although, many have certainly believed that pre facto. We are fools if we think we are an exception in this sense.

If our military was ever defeated, who will be left protect us from the horror and genocide that may follow?

It’s a grim thought. It’s something we don’t even want to think about. But what is most difficult is to conceptualize this possibility on a practical level.

How would we deal with an invading foreign force?

Well, like most civilizations that were totally dependent on its military, we become the subjects of our conquerors.  And, history has been pretty plain about what conquering forces do.

Of course, this is a very unlikely scenario given our current station in time. I admit that. However, try to imagine an untrained, de-gunned, population whose only recollection of private weapon ownership was from history books.

With our gun culture swept away, how willing, how capable, how effective, would such a population be if its trusted government suddenly lost to a superior foe and had to arm and train its sheeple. (This assumes they would even be willing to do that.)

Who would rise up in time? With what means?

By nurturing and maintaining a population who are free and familiar with firearms, we promote and make capable the true citizen soldier. In our armed forces, it is known that only 10% actually do the fighting. And, of those 10% only 10% of them are doing the shooting and serious fighting. They are often the men and women who grew up with or were familiar with weapons.

But, setting aside our citizen soldiers who fill the ranks of our military in time of need, they are still ready when not in the military. Gun ownership makes possible that those who can protect will not only be capable, but will have the tools to do the protecting.

I know many will scoff at the idea of the Minuteman. “Really Kevin! That was over 200 years ago! It was different then.”

It does seem antiquated. But, it only SEEMS that way. It seems that way because we have created a very powerful, effective, and professional military. In the case of our military today, I feel very safe, comfortable and confident in their ability to protect our nation.

Sadly, this achievement, while an important one, produces the same consequences that I mentioned earlier with our sole dependence on someone else for protection.

We are blinded by the age we live in. This same blindness and our indifference to history leave us double-blind to the future.

We do not know what the future will hold. We don’t know what threat or series of events may unfold before us a few years, or a few decades down the road of time.

For President John F. Kennedy, the importance of the “every man” being part of the national defense is displayed when he accepted a lifetime membership from the NRA. In his letter to the NRA he wrote:

“On the occasion of Patriots Day, I wish to offer my congratulations and best wishes to the National Rifle Association of America which over the past years has done credit to our country by the outstanding achievements of its members in the art of shooting.

Through competitive matches and sports in coordination with the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice, the Association fills an important role in our national defense effort, and fosters in an active and meaningful fashion the spirit of the Minutemen.

I am pleased to accept Life Membership in the National Rifle Association and extend to your organization every good wish for continued success.”

Let’s also not underestimate the deterrence that an armed American public presents to any nation or power bent on conquest.  With a rifleman behind most every door, the notion of subduing America by force becomes a pipe dream. Of course, we can never assume any future enemy would think in such a rational sense. Nor, can we presume to operate under the light of our current station in time.

This brings us to the National Guard. Many believe this is our current day militia.

They are wrong.

The Guard has its roots in the concept of the militia to be sure. However, it is a reserve federal force and can be activated to active duty. Its primary purpose is to defend U.S. as a front line force. The point here is that it is a government controlled.

Here, we still see the problems that can arise from putting off our responsibility to defend ourselves, leaving it to others in an exclusive fashion.  

Ultimately, the defense of our nation falls first to us as individuals working together for the common good.


Go to Part 4 The Problem with Governments